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Factors Influencing Paternal Attachment Among Preterm Infants in an Urban Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
Rickey Taing1, Ovidiu Galescu2, Lawrence Noble3
1Neonatology, Kings County Hospital, Brooklyn, USA.
Cureus
|July 10, 2020
Summary
Paternal attachment to preterm infants is linked to infant factors like birth weight and gestational age, not paternal demographics. Fathers with lower attachment scores had smaller, more premature infants.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal care
- Psychology
- Parent-infant bonding
Background:
- Paternal attachment is crucial for infant development.
- Preterm infants in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) present unique challenges for parental bonding.
- Understanding factors influencing paternal attachment is vital for supporting families.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify factors influencing paternal attachment to preterm infants.
- To explore the relationship between paternal attachment and infant characteristics.
- To examine the role of paternal demographics in attachment.
Main Methods:
- Fathers of preterm infants in a level III NICU were recruited.
- The Paternal Postnatal Attachment Scale (PPAS) assessed attachment in five domains.
- Clinical, demographic, and infant data were collected.
Main Results:
- Infants of fathers with lower attachment scores were significantly smaller and more premature.
- Lower scores in patience, tolerance, and pleasure were observed in fathers with lower attachment.
- Paternal age, education, marital status, and number of children did not significantly affect attachment scores.
Conclusions:
- Paternal attachment to preterm infants is primarily influenced by infant factors (birth weight, gestational age).
- Paternal demographic factors do not appear to significantly impact attachment.
- Interventions should consider infant characteristics when supporting paternal bonding in the NICU.
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